All about that Gaming Life

Recently realized that I kinda suck at drawing faces, so I decided to doodle Lucifer five times (+Lucifrost) with in-game references.

I also just wanted test different art process and brushes.

Since I'm making a post, I should add quick drawings that I forgot to upload. Below are some quick drawings made during winter break.

Hello! This account makes polls about whether or not a character would make a contract to become a magical girl. I would prefer submissions to be sent through the ask box, since I'm not entirely sure how submissions work. Feel free to send asks there, too! An image of the character will always be at the bottom of the poll.

Unless it's an answer to an ask, all polls are made by yours truly. Just call me QB/mod :)! There will hopefully be one post a day; at least until I run out.

Currently, the poll options are: Yes, knowing the risks Yes, not knowing the risks No, knowing the risks No, not knowing the risks Kyubey wouldn't ask them Don't know this character/results

It's important to note that the character doesn't need to be a girl to be on here. Magical theys and boys are cool :). The character also doesn't need to be a teenager. Also, make sure to include what franchise they're from, or some other identifier! For example, if you say Rouge, I might think you're talking about Rouge the Bat from Sonic, but you could be talking about a completely different Rouge! Or, as a more specific example: PMMM has Kyoko Sakura. Danganronpa has Kyoko Kirigiri and Sakura Ogami, so last names/franchise names are preferred. Magical girls from other franchises are allowed as well; these polls are specifically about whether they'd become a magical girl via Kyubey if they were in the Madoka Magica universe.

If you're ever inspired to make art of characters here as magical girls, please tag me or reblog the post! I would love to see your art! There's a backlog of every poll done (I'll try to keep up on it) under the cut so that you can find your favorite characters ^w^!

Current queued posts: 0 Current asks in inbox: 12 (open) Inbox closes when there are 15 or more submissions, and opens again when I've cleared it out!

K-Pop Spotlight: Stray Kids

Masks off everyone—Stray Kids’ newest mini-album ODDINARY is finally out and it’s time to embrace the maniac within. To celebrate the new release and their upcoming fourth anniversary, we caught up with the group to talk about their new album and single, MANIAC, and the challenges and fulfillment that come with accepting your most authentic self. As a little bonus, we also asked the members to design their own Tumblr blogs (just in case you needed some inspiration). Check out our full interview below!

Tell us about your new mini-album ODDINARY in three words or less, but there’s a catch—you can’t use the words odd or ordinary. 

Bang Chan: MANIACS ARE BACK!

Lee Know: Cool.

Changbin: Inner side, volcano, control.

Hyunjin: Super Power song.

HAN: Abnormal, freaky, potential are the three words that I think describe it best. We tried to describe the energy that explodes from our music in a different way this time, by slowly showing control over this energy. 

Felix: Maniac, unique, and dark.

Seungmin: Interesting, fascinating, capturing hearts.

I.N: Mania, abnormal, conceptual. 

Stray Kids’ music and concepts often encourage young people to be their most authentic selves regardless of other people’s opinions. How does ODDINARY fit into that narrative, and what do you hope your fans take away from it? 

Bang Chan: This might not apply to everyone, but I feel like many people have experienced moments where they’re told to act normal (yep, I’ve been through that). We wanted to emphasize that “standards” don’t matter and that you have the authority to let out the “oddness” that’s been sealed inside you all this time.

Changbin: ODDINARY is a compound word that combines “ordinary” and “odd,” meaning that everyone has a normal and slightly weird side. Listeners will be able to experience the everlasting honesty and truthfulness that Stray Kids’ music has always displayed, with the more crazy side that Stray Kids have. 

HAN: I hope that STAY and all listeners will be able to follow their hearts, rather than being confined by the judgment of others. I hope everyone also looks forward to the upgraded version of us. 

Seungmin: Whatever situation may come, I hope that everyone is able to live in their most honest, unique way with versatility while never forgetting who they truly are. I hope our music can become a small strength. 

Lightning round! You’re customizing your own Tumblr blog. Pick an aesthetic and a personal tag!

Bang Chan: Ooft… it’s hard to pick just one because my preferred aesthetics change depending on my mood. But if I had to pick one, it would be cyberpunk. The lights got me, and I’m a fanatic for futuristic stuff.

Lee Know: I want to decorate it using a clean, white tone.

Changbin: I want to use the tags #straykids, #stay, #stage, #music, which all mean a lot to Stray Kids.

Hyunjin: Vintage Tumblr, with #lovestay

HAN: I would like to decorate it like #black #chic to show a lot of calm yet cool atmosphere! I want to use the tags #black #chic #skz #loveyou #STAY.

Felix: #행복이 #felix 🐈‍⬛💛

Seungmin: #Seungtage. I really like vintage furniture and aesthetics, so I would like to decorate it using an organized brown tone.

I.N: I’m into vintage aesthetics these days, so I think I’ll go with vintage.

K-Pop Spotlight: PURPLE KISS

This week, we’re highlighting PURPLE KISS to celebrate the release of their latest mini-album, “HIDE & SEEK,” and new single, Zombie. We caught up with the girl group to chat about their first comeback, personal aesthetics, and some very important seasonal topics. Check out our full interview below!

Tell us about your new mini-album HIDE & SEEK, and what it was like preparing for your first comeback.

Dosie: HIDE & SEEK is an album that raises questions about PURPLE KISS’ hidden identity. It follows the discovery of who we are without lies and shows the process in the purest form! Perhaps because it’s our first comeback, we were more nervous, and we worked hard in various ways to show you a better performance than when we debuted.

Ireh: Since it’s our first comeback, we wanted to show you how much we’ve grown compared to our debut.

Na Go Eun: We prepared the comeback with excitement to hurry back on stage and meet PLORY again.

Chaein: Our break was not short, and I kept thinking of our PLORY who were waiting for us and couldn’t wait to have a comeback.

Yuki: I was excited, nervous, and burdened at the same time. I had a lot of worries, but every time that happened, the members, managers, and family raised my self-esteem, and I was able to have fun while preparing for it.

Park Ji Eun: We prepared harder because we wanted to show PLORY everything as soon as possible, and we worked hard to become a more fitting image than when we first debuted.

How would you describe the differences between preparing for your debut and preparing for this comeback? Are you feeling more confident on stage these days?

Ireh: I think I knew what to practice and figure out what is important to prepare efficiently than when I debuted without knowing anything. That’s why I gained more confidence.

Swan: When I debuted, I didn’t know the specific ways to prepare because everything was new, but after making a comeback with some experience, I was able to prepare and practice much better, especially with things such as finding the camera or making facial expressions.

Chaein: I practiced more stage lives than when we debuted. I think I gained more confidence after debuting.

Yuki: I was busy running around because I had a lot to prepare and do in a small amount of time. While monitoring myself on the screen, I felt that the number of times I missed the camera decreased, my facial expressions improved, and I was definitely getting better.

Park Ji Eun: As the number of times we stood on the stage increased, I gradually developed tricks and worked on them by monitoring the stage. I’m working hard to show you a better performance.

Na Go Eun: I think I’ve gotten the hang of it more than when we debuted. I had time to reflect on myself by saying, “Oh, this is a bit disappointing.” And thanks to PLORY’s love and support, I gained a lot of confidence and am working hard.

Who and/or what influences your overall aesthetic—from your music to your style to your fashion sense?

Swan: I think in terms of music, movies, books, and visible things around me, or even my diary, are influences. When I’m trying to focus and make an actual piece of work, I usually look for movies and research for ideas.

Ireh: I don’t think there’s one clear influence for me. Right now, I think the members who live with me have a lot of influence on me.

Na Go Eun: I think it’s the internet. Ideas come to mind while looking at various places and people.

Chaein: I really like to read magazines, so I tend to look at a lot of clothes and trends in magazines.

Dosie: I usually get a lot of inspiration from colors and things in daily life. I base my nail art and fashion styles on colors or moods that I like. I think it’s similar musically.

Yuki: I tend to find my style by watching videos of models on YouTube.

Park Ji Eun: I think I look at magazines and articles, refer to our many seniors, and look at trendy or classic things to find out what suits me.

What brings you the most joy lately outside of PURPLE KISS?

Swan: We have a new car! There is a place in the car to charge my cell phone.

Ireh: Other than PURPLE KISS, I can’t think of anything else. These days, thanks to the members, schedules, stages, and PLORY, I think everything is fun.

Na Go Eun: These days, almost everything is fun because of the PURPLE KISS, but I’m enjoying watching Street Woman Fighter in between meals because it’s so cool.

Chaein: I’m most happy when I take a shower after our schedules.

Yuki: When I lie down on my bed after work.

Dosie: I think it’s fun because we can meet the fans often.

Park Ji Eun: Meeting fans through video calls!

If you starred in a monster movie, who would be the villain, and what role would each of you play?

Swan: I would be a villain like Harley Quinn and float between the east and the west like the Korean Robin Hood to become a righteous and wonderful villain with all the team members.

Ireh: The villains can be the bad zombies, and the members and I will play the role of good zombies that are friendly and close to people.

Na Go Eun: I want to be a captain-like hero and help people, or just become an attractive villain.

Chaein: I’m scared of many things, so even if I can’t play a big role, I’ll play a role that can handle timid attacks.

Dosie: I personally want to play the role of a hacker who controls everything from behind, but I think it would actually be really scary to really go up against a villain.

Yuki: I’m not actually really that smart, but in a movie, I’d want to be a character that’s like a smart advisor, haha.

Park Ji Eun: I’m not sure who would be the villain, but I want to play the role of a villain that only superheroes can hate.

What’s your favorite autumn activity and food/beverage?

Swan: For activities, I like catching fallen leaves and writing short phrases and storing them, sort of like scrapbooking, and for food and beverage, I like pears and bubble tea!

Ireh: It’s not something you can only do in the fall, but for activities, painting and for food, sweet potatoes.

Na Go Eun: I like to take walks. For drinks, earl grey tea!

Chaein: For me, taking a walk at night! And for food, it’s ice cream 😙

Yuki: I like solo strolls! For food, it’s soup! Warm food since the weather is getting cold 👏

Dosie: In autumn, I also like to have solo strolls, go to exhibitions, and visit cafes. And for food, autumn reminds me of sujebi (Korean traditional hand-pulled dough soup)!

Park Ji Eun: I like going to the Han River and watching movies at home for activities. For food and beverages, I like persimmons and smoothies.

Want more from PURPLE KISS? Check out their new mini-album HIDE & SEEK and the video for “Zombie” here.

I had planned to do something totally different with my day but instead I made a whole bunch of pride birds! I plan to put them on Redbubble asap.

ADDITIONAL BIRBS

Sapphic: red-tailed comet Aromantic: dusky-headed conure

Guess who! Lesbian cockatoo. :)

Finally! The Vosmaeri eclectus for the polyamory flag. While not an orientation or gender identity, the polyam flag is still very popular at pride events.

I thought the eclectus was perfect for this flag because unlike other parrots, they’re nonmonogamous. What a fun coincidence that they happen to match the flag so well and to be a personal favorite of mine.

Genderfluid violet-backed starling! I had a lot of fun drawing this one; I’m getting less afraid to draw iridescence on birds.

Most of these complaints seem to be coming from franchised restaurants. Why? Well, it’s not complicated. Service workers didn’t decide one day to stop working — rather huge numbers of them cannot work anymore. Because they’ve died of coronavirus.

A recent study from the University of California–San Francisco looks at increased morbidity rates due to COVID, stratified by profession, from the height of the pandemic last year. They find that food and agricultural workers morbidity rates increased by the widest margins by far, much more so than medical professionals or other occupations generally considered to be on the 'front lines' of the pandemic. Within the food industry, the morbidity rates of line cooks increased by 60 percent, making it the deadliest profession in America under coronavirus pandemic.

Line cooks are especially at risk because of notoriously bad ventilation systems in restaurant kitchens and preparation areas. Anyone who has ever worked a back-of-the-house job knows that it’s hot, smelly, and crowded back there, all of which indicate poor indoor air quality. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and Environmental Protection Agency recommended increasing indoor ventilation to fight the virus, but such upgrades are costly and time consuming. There is no data available on how many restaurants chose not to upgrade their ventilation systems, but given how miserly franchise owners are with everything else, one could guess that many, if not most, made no upgrades at all.

Ventilation issues are deadliest for line cooks and other back-of-house jobs, but there are other reasons why food workers’ morbidity rates shot up. Food workers are much more likely to be poor and/or a racial or national minority, and poor people and black and Latino workers are much more likely to die of complications from the coronavirus.

Restaurants are often intentionally short staffed, making it difficult to take time off, so sick workers likely still came to work (and infected others in the process). Bars and restaurants are COVID-19 hotspots, and service workers and customers alike get sick after prolonged restaurant exposure. The difference is that many of those customers have health insurance and other safeguards to prevent them from dying of the illness; 69 percent of restaurants, on the other hand, offer their employees no health benefits at all.

When coronavirus is spread at restaurants, and restaurant workers make little money and rarely earn health benefits, it’s no wonder morbidity rates are so much higher for food service workers. But rather than collectively grieve the deaths of tens of thousands of the people who serve us and keep us fed, and keep such tragedies in mind when considering the state of the food-service industry labor market today, business owners and their political lackeys call these workers 'lazy.'

There are, of course, also living, breathing people who have decided they do not want to risk their lives for $7.25 per hour and no health benefits. That is a perfectly rational decision for the homo economicus to make. Given how dangerous restaurant work is during a viral pandemic, if restaurant owners really wanted more workers, they would offer living wages, health benefits, and adequate personal protective equipment. But all the wage increases in the world won’t bring back the dead.

There aren’t enough people working in the service industry, and service bosses have somehow turned that into our problem, into something we ought to be ashamed of. We shouldn’t fall for it. Profits accumulate because of labor — without workers to exploit, the owning class can’t get richer. Capitalists cannot exploit the labor of the dead, so when large swathes of the working class die, they turn their ire on the living.

This is a barbaric response to mass tragedy. Workers across the country and the globe are dead or grieving. We shouldn’t risk further tragedies for a paltry minimum wage."

A Song of Storms

Then again you could have just placed the sword on top of the mound